


To the Skies

by dreamyghost



Series: Dimiclaude Birthday Week 2020 [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26062258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamyghost/pseuds/dreamyghost
Summary: “Come on, your majesty. Aren’t you a little bored of this place by now? Some fresh air would do you good.”Dimitri merely grunted in response but looked down when Claude offered his hand. You never touched Dimitri first. There was once a time when you could, but in the five years since Claude last saw him, he had been through so much that touch could be perceived as an act of violence. Claude learned that you let Dimitri set the boundaries.Dimiclaude Birthday Week Day 2: Wyvern Riding
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Series: Dimiclaude Birthday Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881853
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	To the Skies

There was a quiet hush in the cathedral as Claude entered the building. Once there was a time when it had been bustling with life, full of people praying to the goddess and asking for her guidance. Hardly anyone was here now, with only one devotee standing in front of the rubble. But he was not praying to the goddess.

Dimitri slightly turned his head when he heard footsteps approaching him, tightening his grip on Areadbhar. Claude said nothing as he stood by his side, taking in the view of ruins before him. When Dimitri was like this, it was hard to say anything to the man. Friends have tried before but were met with indifference at best, violence at worst. Lorenz had nearly gotten his wrist broken when he made the stupid attempt to grab Dimitri’s shoulder when he was in his mood.

“Go away, Claude.” He was speaking. That was a good sign. 

“Come on, your majesty. Aren’t you a little bored of this place by now? Some fresh air would do you good.”

Dimitri merely grunted in response but looked down when Claude offered his hand. You never touched Dimitri first. There was once a time when you could, but in the five years since Claude last saw him, he had been through so much that touch could be perceived as an act of violence. Claude learned that you let Dimitri set the boundaries. 

When Dimitri took his hand, Claude knew today was one of the better days and smiled, leading him out of the cathedral and into the light. There were a few odd looks from people as they passed by, but they knew better than to disturb the two. Claude only let go of Dimitri’s hand when they finally arrived at the stables, approaching his wyvern that had been waiting for the two. 

“I was thinking instead of being stuck inside a stuffy old building, we could take to the skies.” Claude cooed at his wyvern as he gently stroked the sides of her head and waited for Dimitri to approach as well. When he did not, Claude said, “Or not. We could do something else if you want.” 

“No,” Dimitri said after a moment, removing his cape from his shoulders, “I am curious to see what it is that enthralls you so much.” 

With a grin, Claude mounted himself up on his wyvern and held out his hand to help Dimitri do the same. “You better hang on tight.” Dimitri’s arms were loosely wrapped around his waist, and Claude gave his arm a playful squeeze. “Tighter than that or you're gonna fall right off.” 

Dimitri huffed at his words, his breath tickling the back of Claude’s neck, but he did as he was told, nearly squeezing the air out of Claude’s lungs. At the sound of the whistle, his wyvern sprung up, earning a surprised yelp from Dimitri and a burst of laughter from Claude. 

Garreg Mach Monastery grew smaller as they soared away, flying above the luscious green forest that surrounded the church. The trees that once towered above them were now far below them, and Claude wondered if Dimitri felt the rush he felt at such a sight. The sky was just beyond.

“Claude,” he could barely hear Dimitri say, leaning even closer to his ear, “Claude, slow down.” He slowed his wyvern to a stop, letting her fly in place as he waited for Dimitri to catch his breath. “I’m sorry. I can’t—”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Claude reassured, “I guess I got overambitious.”

“It’s not the speed, it’s the height.”

“Okay, let’s go back. Just bear it for a bit.” 

Claude would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit disappointed. Not that he was judging Dimitri ( _ he would never dream of it _ ). They shared a love for horseback riding, and it was an activity they had both enjoyed doing together during the academy. Claude loved the skies; he loved soaring high above, forgetting his troubles and just enjoying the thrill that one could only get on the back of a wyvern. He had hoped Dimitri would have loved it too. Just another thing to add to the list of things they could do together, another activity to help Dimitri forget his problems just for a little while. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, but Claude did his best not to let his disappointment show as they got off his wyvern. Dimitri was quiet as he picked up his cape and returned it to his shoulders.

“I’ve disappointed you,” Dimitri said as Claude thanked his wyvern for the ride. 

“Of course not, your majesty.” Well, perhaps he could be a bit honest. “I was just hoping to find something else we could both enjoy. Flying wasn’t it. We can find something else.”

* * *

It had been hard to admit to Claude that he did not care for flying. The man seemed at home in the sky, the wind blowing through his hair as he looked towards the horizon. Dimitri always felt small watching him from the ground. He had really wanted to like it. For so long he had wanted to join him in the sky, be by his side so Claude would not seem far from his gasp. But once Dimitri had been up there, he despised every moment of it. He knew Claude would never let anything happen to Dimitri, but he had felt so powerless, so vulnerable; he despised those feelings. But he also hated the look on Claude’s face when they returned from their short trip. 

Claude had said that he wasn’t disappointed, but Dimitri could see it on his face as plain as day. Claude had so many expectations for him, and at times Dimitri found himself resenting it. How dare Claude believe in him; how dare he believe there was light in him, that was good despite everything he had gone through in the past five years. He really wished Claude was like most, believing he was too far gone to be saved. It would make things easier. It would hurt less when Dimitri did not live up to Claude’s expectations. 

But there were times when he wished he did not hate flying. Like now, when Claude lay unconscious in his arms and the only means of escape was the wyvern that was flying towards them. Claude’s white wyvern who looked at Dimitri now, waiting for him to climb up and go. It was stupid, but for a moment Dimitri considered tearing through the soldiers ahead, to clear a path just so he didn’t have to rely on the wyvern to escape. He knew it wouldn’t work. Dimitri would not be able to fight properly if he held Claude and leaving him behind would leave him vulnerable to attacks. There was no other choice. 

“Do not drop us,” Dimitri scowled as he gripped the reign, knowing full well that if they fell it would be Dimitri’s fault and not the wyvern’s. Claude was still in Dimitri’s arms, and Dimitri knew he had to find a healer soon. If flying meant saving Claude’s life, Dimitri would fly a million times.  _ For Claude _ , he found himself repeating as they took to the sky. 

Yes. He could do this for Claude.


End file.
